With the DT990 I'd actually be fine with recommending the E17 for the EQ options.

actually, im getting the recon3d because of the eq.

im getting into this thing because of gaming, but i think im gonna stay because of music, so maybe ill need a DAC at some point. for now, im more than doubling my original budget, so ill keep to cheapish options... (was going to get the CAL! instead of the DT990, already have upgraditis and my first set have yet to arrive!!!)

Do you need the amp to be portable? If not then a desktop amp like the O2 or E9 would be a good choice in terms of power/price. Or you could go for something higher end like M-stage, Schitt Lyr/Asgard.

For Fiio's portable amps the E11 is the current top of the line in terms of power output, but doesn't have the DAC capability like the E7, or E11 (which you shouldn't need for gaming). The lower end of the line (E1-6) may not have enough power output to really be worth it.

how's the E10 for a cheaper alternative to the E17 or the O2? i imagine it has a lower power output, and no EQ options (but im getting that from the recon3d, if it works as promised). (will be using the DT990 premium 32OHM)

how's the E10 for a cheaper alternative to the E17 or the O2? i imagine it has a lower power output, and no EQ options (but im getting that from the recon3d, if it works as promised). (will be using the DT990 premium 32OHM)

The E10 only works directly from a computer using it's own DAC. You can't use it to amp another product.

Since he's aiming for the 32ohm DT990, I'd say go for the O2 instead of the E9, due to the output impedance which may make the treble even more prominent off the E9.

I should have specified, but I'm actually waiting for my HE-400s to arrive. Can't wait. I do plan on using it with my computer aswell. Perhaps I'll have to deal the e11 or e17 battery nonsense. How's the battery life?

PsyMed: Max all the software volume controls. Surely this is how you used to keep the settings when you used cheaper speakers/headphones--the only place you'd adjust volume is the speaker volume knob or a laptop's hardware volume control buttons.

I should have specified, but I'm actually waiting for my HE-400s to arrive. Can't wait. I do plan on using it with my computer aswell. Perhaps I'll have to deal the e11 or e17 battery nonsense. How's the battery life?

I think 10 hours but the annoyance is when your really groving to something or gaming online and the battery goes dead. Now you have to wait it seems like forever to recharge the dead battery..I'm sure using it with the HE-400 will cut the battery life in half but don't hold me to that i never gauged it but you have to remmember the HE-400 likes alot of current/power.

The more you drive them it seems the better they sound and the more your brain say's turn it up some more!! In the end you will have very short battery life.

Despite what everyone might say buy this or that buy something once or you will be like alot of us spending money hand over fist looking for the perfect amp in which their is none just your personal taste and color of sound that you like.

To end get something with more than enough drive power/ watts.. Better to have more than not enough. The E-11 is ok but all planners need more drive power than what that puts out i'm one that knows that now from alot of experimenting...

Just do your homework before buying alot of possibly unessasery amps,dacs,cables and the like that you may not like..Next thing you know now is your changing pieces of your equiptment like crazy looking for the perfect sound its never ending once you start lol.

a lot of complains about hiss on the recon3d... the few of you who tried it, is it any good?

Assuming that we're talking about the USB version of the Recon3D, I hear almost no hiss on a Panasonic HTF600. The noise floor isn't dead silent, but I really have to go into analytical mode to detect anything.

When I'm done reviewing it, I'll send it off to Mad Lust Envy for another review geared more toward the console side of things, if he's okay with that. (Also, he can better test its amplification capabilities with the more demanding dynamics and orthos.)